Protect The ACA

In light of threats to repeal the Affordable Care Act, I write to offer a different perspective: The ACA has been a critical part of my daily existence.

When I was 2, I was diagnosed with Type I diabetes, an autoimmune disorder that stops the pancreas from producing insulin. Type I diabetes is unpreventable and requires meticulous care. Through college, I was lucky to have parents who could afford the $1,000 monthly insurance premiums to cover supplies required to keep me alive. After I graduated in 2013, I was working three part-time jobs and commuting across Connecticut.

Obamacare was my savior. I was eligible for Medicaid under the expansion and couldn't be discriminated against because of my pre-existing condition. Supplies were covered 100 percent. I was free to save up and landed an internship that led to a job that provided health care.

We never hear about the positive impact of the ACA. Instead we criticize bad website development and the liberal agenda. If the ACA is repealed, this safety net will vanish.

I want to pursue a master's degree, but I know that I can't afford care and supplies under university health insurance. Many Americans like me will be forced to forgo opportunities to advance our educations and careers. Why should a fully functioning member of society be worried about basic needs in the wealthiest country in the world? And why are basic human needs considered a partisan issue?

We cannot dismantle the ACA. It is the culmination of years of efforts from Democrats and Republicans alike (see RomneyCare). While far from perfect, Obamacare has vastly improved upon the broken status quo that preceded it. Politicians, policymakers, economists and health care professionals need to have serious conversations on how to build the health care system up, not tear it down.